Hot Boats & Watercraft How-Tos « Boats & Watercraft

How To: Winterizing your boat engine block

In this Outdoor Recreation video tutorial you will learn how to winterizing your boat engine block. For this you will need some screwdrivers, compressed air and a flexible hose if you have a hot water heater system on the boat. First you got to drain out all the water inside the engine. Remove the two plugs from the block and one plug from the sea pot as shown in the video and drain out all the water. Be careful and don't drop the seals while removing the plugs from the engine. While the wate...

How To: Patch a hole in a fiberglass hole

LowkeeLT demonstrates how to patch a hole in a fiberglass boat hull. First, grind around the edge of the hole to make it smooth. Make an angle that goes towards the hull so that the resin won't get caught and create air pockets. Attach kitchen wax paper to the boat as a non-stick material for the poly resin to set against. Then, put down a flexible cutting board by duct taping the two layers on the outside of the hull and pulling it taut. Attach three layers of fiberglass strips with resin to...

How To: Tie a Round Turn and Two Half Hitches knots

Learn how to tie a Round Turn and Two Half Hitches - a quick and secure way of attaching a rope to a railing or other fixed object. This is a good knot for sailing, boating, general outdoors and even bondage.

How To: Repair boat decks with epoxy

This video is a part of a series on repairing a boat deck with epoxy. Part 1 of 2 - How to Repair boat decks with epoxy.

How To: Tie the Handcuff knot

Learn how to tie a Handcuff Knot. This is a handy knot for those times when an emergency set of handcuffs are needed :) Firefighters also use this knot, coupled with a half hitch over each loop, as a man harness. This knot can be used in sailing, boating, general use, camping and bondage.

How To: Tie a Blood Knot

Learn how to tie a Blood Knot - Used in sailing as a somewhat decorative stopper knot or on the business end of a Cat 'O Nine Tails (hence the Blood Knot's name). This knot can be used in sailing, boating, general use, camping and bondage.

How To: Tie the Man Harness from a Tom Fool's Knot

Learn how to tie a Man Harness from a Tom Fool's Knot - used as an emergency harness for hoisting a person. This knot can be used in sailing, boating, general use, camping and bondage.

How To: Tie a Thief Knot

This video shows you how to tie a Thief Knot. This knot looks a Reef Knot to the casual observer and so can be used to determine if a thief is tampering with your belongings bag - secure it with a Thief Knot, and if you find it re-tied with a Reef Knot, you know someone has been messing with your stuff. This is used in sailing, boating, general use, camping and bondage.

How To: Tie a Shamrock knot / True Lover's knot

This shows you how to tie a Shamrock Knot / True Lover's Knot - A decorative knot, built from two Thumb Knots, that forms the shape of a shamrock. This is used in sailing, boating, general use, camping and bondage.

How To: Tie an Anchor Hitch / Bucket Hitch knot

Learn how to tie an Anchor Hitch (also known as a Bucket Hitch) - A very secure means of attaching a rope to an anchor or any other object that you can't afford to loose (like a bucket down a well, I suppose - thus the alternate name). I actually do use this hitch for temporary anchor attachment (preferring to permanently splice instead) as well as for my bucket lanyards when washing down my boat's deck.

How To: Tie off a suspension ring with a basic knot

This video tutorial is in the Outdoor Recreation category which will show you how to tie off a suspension ring with a basic knot. Weld less rings are used as connection points for a variety of purposes. However, riggers quite often make tying a ring unnecessarily complicated. All that is required is a basic knot and a few hitches. For this you will need to tie the running overhand knot. Take a rope, bend it in half and tie it to a suspension point. Now pass both ends of the rope through the r...

How To: Tie a Draw Hitch or Thief Hitch

Learn how to tie a Draw or Thief Hitch - a means of securing a rope with two standing ends - one end is load bearing, and the other can be pulled to release the knot. I used this knot extensively for raising the mast on my first trailor-sailor - Tie this above the spreaders, stand the mast up, then pull on the release line to untie it without having to climb aloft. This knot can be used in sailing, boating, general use, camping and bondage.

How To: Tie the basic knot design of a cargo net

In this video, we learn how to tie the basic knot design of a cargo net. First, tie a double overhand knot on a rope bent into two. After this, make cow hitching on the first loop that you created. Next, make a second double overhand knot followed by cow hitching the second loop. After you do this, you will be able to size up for use! To make this, you must have some prior knowledge of how to tie different knots. If you don't, you won't know how to make the shapes. Use a picture as a referenc...

How To: Tie a Tom Fool's Knot

Learn how to tie a Tom Fool's knot - this knot is a basis for a number of decorative and functional knots. This knot can be used in sailing, boating, general use, camping and bondage.

How To: TIe a decorative noose

In this tutorial, we learn how to tie a decorative noose. First, form a loop and then and wrap the end around the loop thirteen times. Next, take the loose end and stick it into the coils you just made. Use a pencil and long scissors to help you do this. After you are done with this, tie a knot at the end and pull so the loop is tight. You can also clip off the loose end and pull the loop to make it larger if you prefer. When finished, use this as you wish but do not use it for violent activi...

How To: Tie a Klemheist Hitch knot

Learn how to tie a Klemheist Hitch - This is a gripping knot made using a loop of small diameter rope applied to the main line or object. It greatly resists slipping when the pull is parallel to the main line. This is a good knot for sailing, boating, general outdoors and even bondage.

How To: Tie a Heaving Line knot / Franciscan Monks' knot

Learn how to tie a Heaving Line or Franciscan Monk's Knot - a practical and decorative knot used to add weight to the end of a heaving line, or to finish a Monk's belt rope ends. This is a fine knot for camping, climbing, sailing or Boy Scout training.

How To: Tie a clove hitch

What happens when you arrive at a dock and can't find a cleat to tie your boat onto? Matt and Ann of BoatUS demonstrate how to tie your boat to a piling using a clove hitch. Know your knots by learning how to tie a clove hitch with this instructional knot tying video.

How To: Tie a Constrictor Hitch knot

Learn how to tie a Constrictor Hitch - a great knot for tying a binding or bundle. It holds incredibly tightly and can be slipped for easy untying. This is a good knot for sailing, boating, general outdoors and even bondage.

How To: Make a canopy for your boat

You can make your own canopy for your boat and save hundreds of dollars from the store bought ones. You’ll need 1 inch pvc pipe, some nuts and bolts and you‘re set. You’ll set you’re canopy off of some swivel brackets that secure on the pvc pipe with 2 inch screws. This video will show you how to rig everything and you’ll be sitting in the shade in no time.

How To: Tie a Turk's Head knot - on a cylinder and spherical

Learn how to tie a Turk's Head Knot - a decorative knot used to cover a cylindrical object, or it can be worked into a tight ball or sphere. This is a good knot for sailing, boating, general outdoors and even bondage.

How To: Fix boat transoms with epoxy

Fix the transom of a wood rotten boat with epoxy.

How To: Remove a boat from the water for transport & storage

Eddie shows us how to remove a boat from the water in this video tutorial. First, take down the canvases and wrap them up. Now, put the antennas down and drive the boat to the loading dock. Next you will need a large truck that has a hitch and trailer attached to it, and secure everything so the boat stays on and doesn't come off of the trailer. Take the drain plug out of the boat before you transport it, to make it lighter. Transport the boat to your house, and place bricks over the front so...

How To: Tie a Half-Hitch knot or Double Half-Hitch knot

Half-hitches are great knots, but only when use in combination with other knots. By itself, a half-hitch is unsafe and unreliable, but when joined with other knots, can be quite the opposite. Tying two half hitch knots together is great for attaching a rope or line to any object. The half hitch and double half hitch are used throughout specialities, most notably as a boating knot, outdoor knot, and paddling knot.

How To: Tie an Icicle Hitch knot

Learn how to tie an Icicle Hitch - A superb gripping knot that strongly resists slipping, stainless steel or other smooth surfaces, when the pull is parallel to the object to which it is tied. This is a good knot for sailing, boating, general outdoors and even bondage.

How To: Tie the monkey's fist boating knot

There are often requests for the Monkey’s Fist (or Paw) Knot so here it is! Watch this instructional knot tying video to learn how to tie your own perfect monkey's fist boating knot. The key to tying the monkey's fist knot successfully is to have a small ball or core to insert into the knot before tightening it up. The core must match the size of the knot - which is dependent on the size of the rope being used - for the knot to finish right. Some trial and error is to be expected when first t...

How To: Tie the cleat knot easily

Check out this instructional knot tying video that demonstrates how to tie a cleat knot. Learn how to tie off your boat at the dock. Just follow the simple instructions outlined in this boating tutorial and learn how to tie a Cleat Knot. Knot tying is a breeze with this video. Start practicing and reel in the big fish!

How To: Tie the Eye Splice knot with a knot tying animation

Learn how to tie the Eye Splice Knot for boating. This animated knot tying tutorial is the best you'll find. With this knot tying how to, you can tie the Eye Splice Knot fast or slow, or pause it at every step along the way. Learn to tie knots for your next boating trip. Tie the Eye Splice knot with a knot tying animation.

How To: Tie a cleat hitch

Need help with your knots? Ann and Matt from BoatUS teach new boaters how to tie a cleat hitch at the dock. Know your knots and practice tying a cleat hitch knot by watching this instructional knot tying video. Improve your skills and tie knots like a pro.

How To: Tie the mooring hitch knot for boating

The mooring hitch knot for boating is a more secure knot than the better known (and easier to tie) slippery hitch boating knot. The mooring hitch knot holds fast while under tension yet can be released quickly with a tug on the free end. Despite it's name, this is a temporary boating knot and not to be trusted to moor a boat or anything else of value! Hope this knot tying instructional video helps you perfect your mooring hitch boating knot. Enjoy! Tie the mooring hitch knot for boating.

How To: Build a carbon spinnaker pole

This instructional video teaches how to make a carbon spinnaker pole. Learn how to make your own spinnaker pole for sailing both dinghies and yachts.

How To: Shrink wrap a boat

Shrink wrap your boat for the winter. They use a 19' to show you. Part 1 of 5 - How to Shrink wrap a boat.

How To: Tie a Rolling Hitch knot

Learn how to tie a Rolling Hitch - a useful knot for attaching a rope to a railing, post, or another rope where the pull is along the length of the fixed object. It isn't as good at resisting slipping as an Icicle Hitch, but it is a good deal quicker to tie. This is a good knot for sailing, boating, general outdoors and even bondage.

How To: Tie an Artillery Hitch (Loop) knot

Learn how to tie an Artillery Hitch or loop - A secure way of forming a loop in the standing part of a rope so that the loop lies perpendicular to the line. This is a good knot for sailing, boating, general outdoors and even bondage.

How To: Tie a Turk's Head knot in a flat or matt format

Learn how to tie a Turk's Head Knot in a flat or matt format - A decorative knot that is tied flat and can, if desired, then be formed into the cylindrical form of the Turk's Head Knot. This is a fine knot for camping, climbing, sailing or Boy Scout training.

How To: Tie a Japanese knot or Square knot

Learn how to tie a Japanese Knot or Square Knot - a decorative knot that forms a square shape. This is a fine knot for camping, climbing, sailing or Boy Scout training.

How To: Tie a Butterfly knot to create loops in rope midpoints

This Butterfly knot will accommodate a load in any direction, and is used mostly in outdoor and boating situations, but also could be used as a paddling knot. It's used for securing a loop or many loops in the middle of a rope. Great for mountain climbing and canoeing.

How To: Do a handcuff knot

ITS tactical is going to show you how to make a handcuff knot, which is usually used to restrain things. To make this loop you want to make 2 loops, the first being an overhand loop, while the second is an underhand loop. Once you make the loops you want to stack them and then reach inside and grab one side of each loop with the opposite hand and pull the loop through, which if done correctly should create a loop on the right and left. By creating that type of knot it can be used on game if y...

How To: Tie the slip knot for boating

This version of the slip knot is basically a uni knot tied with rope and with just one or two wraps around the double line. It does the trick and is easy to tie.

How To: Tie the quick release knot

Here is a good knot. Do you know it? It's the quick release knot. Check out this instructional knot tying video that demonstrates how to tie the Quick Release knot. Just follow the simple instructions outlined in this boating tutorial and learn how to tie a Quick Release knot. Knot tying is a breeze with this video. Start practicing and reel in the big fish!